Gauge connected, continuous flow, plug valve, having removable orifice plate



Oct. 2, 1956 H. E. M GOWEN, JR 2,764,891

' GAUGE CONNECTED, CONTINUOUS FLOW, PLUG VALVE, HAVING REMOVABLE ORIFICE PLATE Filed Aug. 13, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 L 5 :5 N zo l9 u L i i 1? 7 v.

lg- 2'2- 58 Hero/o 5. Me 6ovven, Mr.

[I INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

1955 H. E. M GOWEN, JR 2,764,891

GAUGE CONNECTED, CONT INUOUS FLOW. PLUG VALVE, HAVING REMOVABLE ORIFICE PLATE Filed. Aug. 15, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hero/o E. M0 6owen,1/r.

INVENTOR.

By M5,. :QM

ATTORNEY Oct. 2, 1956 c w JR 2,764,891

GAUGE CONNECTED, CONTINU FLOW, PLUG VALVE, HAVING REMOV ABLE FICE PLATE Filed Aug. 13, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 E a w Hora/c2 E. M: 60W6/7, d/Z

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Oct. 2, 1956 gcgowg GAUGE CONNECTED, CONT JR 2,764,891 INUOUS FLOW. PLUG VALVE. HAVING REMOVABLE ORIFICE PLATE FiledAug. 15, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 mui Z1 haro/a 5. Mc Gan/en, Jr.

INVENTOR.

A TTO/P/VEY Oct. 2, 1956 c ow J 2,764,891

GAUGE CONNECTED, CON U OUS FLOW. F VALVE, HAVING REMOVA E ORIFICE PLATE Filed Aug. 15, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 llld g/ 9 INVENTOR. 5

ATTORNEY 2, 1956 H. E. MCGOWEN, JR 2,764,891

GAUGE CONNECTED, CONTINUOUS FLOW, PLUG VALVE, HAVING REMOVABLE ORIFICE PLATE Filed Aug. 15, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Hora/0 E. Mc6owe/7,4/n

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY GAUGE CONNECTED, CONTINUOUS FLOW, PLUG VALVE, HAVING REMOVABLE ORIFICE PLATE Harold E. McGowen, Jr.,

Houston, Tex., assignor to Cameo, Inc., Houston,

This invention relates to a plug valve adapted to maintain flow therethrough while a removable orifice plate normally in the flow passage, is positioned to be removed, there being fluid conduit means on either side of the normal position of the orifice to permit the fluid pressure differential to be gauged.

It is an object of this invention to provide a plug valve having an orifice plate therein, and having fluid conduit means on either side of the orifice plate to permit the fluid pressure differential across the orifice plate to be gauged, such orifice plate being positionable to be removed without interrupting the flowing fluid through the valve.

It is another object of this invention to provide a plug valve of this class in which one of the gauge conduits passes through the valve body on one side of the orifice plate and the other conduit passes through the valve assembly, on the other side of the orifice plate.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a plug valve of this type in which the gauge conduit on one side of the orifice plate passes through the valve body and in which the gauge conduit on the other side of the valve body passes through the plug, a flexible conduit surrounding the stem, and out through a closure member sealing around the stem.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a plug valve of this class in which the gauge conduits on opposite sides of the orifice plate both extend through the valve body.

It is also another object of this invention to provide a plug valve of this class in which one of the gauge conduits extends through the valve body and the other extends through the plug, and through a tubular member extending through a slot in the valve body and through a closure member sealing around the valve stem.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a plug valve of this class in which one. of the gauge conduits extends through the valve body and the other extends through the plug, stem, and the closure plate which seals around the stem.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a plug valve of this class which is easily lubricated and which is positively sealed against leakage.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a plug valve of this class from which the orifice plate is easily removable while the fluid flow continues through the valve.

In fluid lines, as in lines conveying gases under high pressure, it is often desirable to reduce the pressure in the line by wire drawing or passing the gas through an orifice plate installed in the line. In such cases, it is highly desirable to be able to interchange such orifice plates when they become worn, and it is also highly desirable to inter change orifice plates having various diameter openings, as the pressure and velocity requirements to be achieved in the line may vary.

Also, it is desirable to connect a gauge to indicate the pressure drop achieved across the orifice. Furthermore,

nited States Patent it is desirable to accomplish the removal or interchange of orifice plates without having to close down the line or disconnect the gauge.

This invention has, therefore, been provided to solve the problems hereinabove described, and in accordance with the objects hereinabove listed.

Other and further objects will be apparent when the specification is considered in connection with the drawings in which like reference characters are assigned to corresponding elements in the various views.

Fig. 1 shows one modification of the valve installed in a fluid line and connected to a gauge.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken along line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the valve plug detail.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of a second modification of valve.

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation taken along line 88 of Fig. 7.

plan view taken along line 55 Fig. 9 is a plan view, part in section, taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a sectional plan view taken along line 10-10 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation taken along line 1111 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a view showing a typical tool for removing the orifice plate.

Fig. 13 is a sectional elevation of valve.

Fig. 14 is a sectional elevation taken along line 14-14 of Fig. 13.

of a third modification Fig. 16 is a sectional. elevation of valve.

As shown in Fig. 1, a fluid line 1 has the plug valve 2 therein, and such line has the lines 3 and 4 leading to the gauge 13. Such lines conduct fluid under the pressure from either side of an orifice plate, to be hereinafter shown and described, such orifice plate being positioned in the plug or valve member of the plug valve 2, and being normally across the flow passage down the-line.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, such a valve has the inlet 5 in the valve housing for body 6, into which the inlet side of the line may be connected, as into the threads 7, With the plug 8 turned clockwiseof its position as shown in Fig. 2, the inlet fluid will flow down the flow passage 9, and through the orifice 10 of the orifice plate 11 which is seated at around, as by the O-ring seal 14.

Fluid then flows through theflow passage 15 and into the outlet flow passage 16 in the valve body 6, and into a fluid discharge line which may be connected as into the threads 17.

When the plug or valve element 8 has been turned to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the by-pass passage 18 through the plug 8, as shown in Fig. 4, is brought into communication at one end with theinlet port 19 and at the other with the outlet port 20. Thus, the flow of fluid continues through the valve while the orifice plate 11 is turned to a position to be removed.

For access to the orifice plate 11, the flangeZl is provided to close the countersunk side opening.22; such flange having the O-ring seal 23 therein, and beingconnected to the valve body 8 by means of the studs 24 and nuts 25. For access to the valve interior through the flange 21, the plug 26 is provided.

Fig. 15 is a plan view taken along line 15-15 of Fig.

of a fourth modification 12 in the plug, and sealed there- When it is desired to remove the orifice plate 11, the flange 21 may be removed from the valve body 6, and the tool 27 may be employed as seen in Fig. 12 for insertion through the opening 22 into the orifice 10, so that thenormally outwardly sprung prong ends 28' mayengage the back face 29 of the orifice plate, and a pull on the handle 3% may dislodge and remove such plate 11. Likewise, it is obvious how the same tool 27 may he employed with prong ends 23 engaging the bottom and sides of the counterbore 31 of an orifice plate, to insert such plate into position.

The stem 32, which is connected to the plug 3, and which extends through the bore 33 in the body 6, has the axial passage 34 therethrough to communicate with the passage 35 in the plug 8, so that the cap 36 may be removed and a lubricant inserted into the passage 34.

The passage 35 opens into a peripheral groove 37 for discharging lubricant between the bearing surfaces of the plug and the body. A longitudinal groove 38 cut into the plug surface connects peripheral groove 37 with a pheripheral groove 39 near the opposite end of the plug, so that a distribution of the lubricant over the working surface of the plug may be provided. One or more side grooves 46 which end short of the axially spaced annular grooves 37 and 39 scrape and distribute the lubricant on the valve seating surface 41.

O-ring seals are carried within annular grooves 42 and 43 to insure against fluid leakage at opposite ends of the plug. Also the seal 44 is provided in the body 6 to seal around the stem 32.

To tap the high pressure side of the line at the inlet port 19, the body 6 is drilled and tapped at 45 and the fitting 46 is connected to place the flexible tubing or line 3 in communication with the inlet.

To take fluid from the low pressure side of the orifice 10, and adjacent thereto, the opening or passage 48 is provided in the plug 8, to communicate with the arcuate slot or cavity 49. Also the opening 50 is drilled and tapped through the body 6 to communicate with such slot. The fitting 51 is then installed in the opening 50 to connect the fluid line 4 thereto.

On the inner end of the opening 50 the fitting 52 is installed and the fitting 53 is installed in the outer end of the passage 48. Then the flexible tubing 54 is connected at one end to the fitting 52 and to extend therefrom through the passage 55 into the arcuate slot 56 and then through the passage 57 back into the slot or cavity 49 and the other end thereof is connected into the fitting 53. Thus the fluid from the low pressure side of the orifice 10 may pass through the plug 3 and tubing 54 into the line 4 to the gauge 13.

To facilitate the turning of the valve plug 6, the boss 58 is provided thereon to center the ball bearing assembly 59, which is retained by the closure flange 60. Such flange 60 is threadable at 61 into the body 6, and is locked in position by the set screws 62.

To provide that it can be known when the plug 8 has been turned to fully position the orifice 19 in the flow passage through the valve or to position it to be removed, the projection or lug 63 fixed on the body 6 extends into the arcuate slot or cavity 56 in the end of the movable plug 3 so that when the plug 8 is turned, the contact of the slot end surface 64 or 65 with the lug 63 limits or stops angular valve movement and gives to the operator a feel of the position of the orifice.

In the modification shown in Figs. 7-11, the stem 32 has the flanged bushing 81 extending therearound and fitting into a closure flange 82. An indicator member 83, having the lug 84 thereon, is fixed to rotate with the stem 32 of the plug 8, and turns in the slot 85 in the flange 86 so that its position at either end of such slot, which is substantially travel, indicates when at one end, flow through the orifice 10, and when at the other end flow through the by-pass 18.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 11, the stem 32 has an axial lubricant passage 87 therethrough which conirnunicates, via radial ports 88, with the annular groove (W to lubricate the plug surface and body wall. The plug 96 is removable to permit the lubricant to be injected.

When the plug 8 is turned 90 counter-clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 10, the diagonal passage 91 in the plug 8 communicates with the port 45 in the body 6, and via the fitting 46 and line 4, with the gauge 13. On the other sideof the orifice 10, the passage 92, via the fitting 51 and line 3, communicates with the gauge 13.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 10, the closure flange 21 has the plug 26 therein, and has also the slots 94 therein, so that the flange may easily fit around the bolts 93, which may be tightened in the body 6, to bind the flange, or which may be loosened to permit the flange to be rotated out of contact with the bolts and removed.

As shown in Figs. 13-15, the plug 8 has the passage 48 therein into which is connected the fitting This fitting extends through a slot 71 in the body 6, and shown by dotted lines in Fig; 15, such slot is arcuate and concentric with the axis of the stem 32 and plug 8, and such slot extends in excess of 90 in angular length.

The cover plate 72 is connected to the stem 32 and the fitting 76 extends through the hole 73in the cover plate. The line 4 connected into the fitting 70 is flexible, and thus it can follow the stem 32 and plug 8 in turning 90 from full opening of the flow passage through the orifice 10 to full opening of the by-pass 18; As an indicator, or stop, such means as'lug 74 is provided on the body 6 to be contacted by the projection 75 on the cover plate 72, at the end of turning between the positions described hereinabove.

As optional equipment Fig. 14 shows a check valve 76 in the axial lubrication supply bore 34 of the stem 32, and also a strainer or baffie 77 below such valve.

in the modification shown in Fig. 16, a closure flange 95 fits inthe body 6, and has the fitting 51 therein communicating with the arcuate cavity 96 in the flange 95. The stem 32 extends from the plug 6, through the flange, and has the axial bore 97 therein terminating in the plug passage 100. The radial passage 98 extends from the bore 97 to communicate with the arcuate cavity 96.

On the other side of the orifice 10 from the bore 97 is provided in the body 6 the passage 46 communicating with the fitting 45 and the line 3. If desired, limit stops for open flow and by-pass flow may be provided as previously described.

Broadly this invention considers a plug valve adapted to maintain continuous flow through a by-pass passage therein while the orifice plate therein is changed without interrupting such flow. Such invention also broadly considers such a plug valve with removable orifice so arranged, that when the orifice. is in the path of flow, fluid pressure conduits lead from points proximate the orifice plate on opposite sides thereof to a gauge exteriorly of the valve to register the pressure differential across the orifice.

What is claimed is:

l. A valve assembly including, a housing having inlet and outlet ports therein and a central cavity with which said ports communicate, a plug adjustably fitted in said cavity and having a flow passage therethrough to establish fluid communication with said ports and a by-pass passage therethrough positionable in communication with said ports upon adjustment of said plug to close oli said flow passage communication, an orifice device in said flow passage, 21 pair of pressure gauge connections opening through the wall of the housing, one of said connections beinglocated for communication with said flow passage on one side of said orifice device when communication between said inlet and outlet ports is established through said flow passage, an operating stem on said plug extending outwardly through said housing, the other of said pressure. gauge connections extending through the plug and communicating with the fluid passage on the opposite side of said orifice device and said last mentioned connection including a port in tf e housing and a port in the adjustable plug and a flexible coupling accommodating relative plug adjustment and communicating said last mentioned ports in all angular positions of the stem and plug and co-operating limit stops on the plug and housing to confine their relative angular adjustment.

2. A valve including, a body having inlet and outlet ports therein and a central cavity with which said ports communicate, a plug rotatably fitted in said cavity and having a flow passage therethrough to establish fluid communication with said ports and a by-pass passage therethrough positionable in communication with said ports upon rotation of said plug to close off said flow passage communication, an orifice plate in said flow passage, said body having an opening in the wall thereof to communicate with one of said ports, a stem projecting from one end of said plug through the body, said plug having an arcuate slot in the end of the plug adjacent said stem, a lug on said body extending into said slot to establish opposite limits of plug rotation, a flexible fluid line yieldable to accommodate plug rotation and pocketed within the body at said plug end and looped around said stem with its opposite ends connected, respectively, with a hole fixedly located in the body wall adjacent said plug end and with a hole in the plug leading to said flow passage on the side of said orifice plate opposite said body opening.

3. In a flow valve of the character described, a body having a cavity and inlet and outlet ports to and from said cavity, a rotary plug fitting the cavity and containing angularly related passages therethrough for alternate alignment with said ports, one of said passages having a counterbored end to form a seating shoulder and an internal annular seal retaining groove adjacent said shoulder, a cup member axially slidably insertible in said counterbored end to seating position against said shoulder and in overlapping relation to said annular groove with a passage flow metering orifice in the web thereof and selectively replaceable by like cup members with different sizes of orifices, a sealing ring pocketed within said groove for slidably passing and bearing on the skirt of a cup member placed within said counterbored end, an operating stem on the plug projecting through an end wall of the body cavity, limit stops fixed to the stem and the body and arranged to define the relative rotary plug positions in which said angularly related passages are in alignment respectively with said ports, a pair of pressure gauge connector conduits arranged to enable measurement of relative pressure values in said ports when they are in communication through the said metering orifice, one of said connector conduits extending through a wall of the body for communication with the flow passage on one side of the metering orifice and the other connector conduit extending through the wall of said cavity and through said rotary plug for communication with said passage on the other side of said metering orifice.

4. In a flow valve as set out in claim 3, together with a closure detachably secured to the body over an open end of the cavity and in surrounding relation to said stem, a bearing sleeve between the stem and closure, said sleeve having an angular projection to be fixed to the closure and said limit stops comprising a washer keyed on the stern in overlying relation to said projection, said projection and washer having on one thereof a stop finger and on the other thereof a pair of spaced stops co-operating with the first stop in establishing limits of plug adjustment in one of which one of the angularly related plug passages is effective and in the other of which the other passage is effective.

5. In a flow valve as set out in claim 3 wherein the body end wall through which said operating stem projects has an arcuate slot in concentric relation with the axis of the stem, a cover plate movable with said stem and extending over said slot with an opening therethrough for alignment with the slot in all relative positions of the plug and the body and carrying one of said limit stops, said other connector conduit which extends through the wall of said cavity and through said rotary plug comprising a fluid line connection member extended through said cover plate opening and said arcuate slot and connected with a port through the plug aligned with said opening.

6. In a flow valve as set out in claim 3 wherein said other connector conduit which extends through the wall of the cavity and through the rotary plug includes a closure member fixed to said body over said cavity and is provided with an opening therethrough to rotatably receive said plug stem, said closure member having an enlarged annular chamber surrounding and opening into the stern receiving opening and having a gauge connector port communicating with the chamber and said stem and plug having therein a passage communicating said annular chamber with said passage on the other side of said metering orifice.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 690,046 Bickel et al. Dec. 31, 1901 1,454,222 Palmer May 8, 1923 1,857,321 Nemec May 10, 1932 1,995,490 Wilkinson Mar. 26, 1935 2,585,290 Walker Feb. 12, 1952 2,589,888 Stampfl Mar. 18, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,217 Great Britain 1883 12,285 France June 1, 1910 373,651 Great Britain May 18, 1932 

